How player ratings and team strength work

Player ratings are game values

Each profile shows a rating and a playing role. The rating helps the game compare squads; it is not an official ranking or a claim that one real cricketer is objectively better than another. Career runs and wickets shown on some profiles come from Cricsheet match records. Those real match totals are separate from the rating used in the game.

When choosing between players, consider what their role adds to your XI instead of sorting by rating alone. A slightly lower-rated player can be more useful if they strengthen an area your team is missing.

How roles affect batting and bowling

The starting XI's ratings contribute to batting strength and bowling strength according to role. Batters and wicketkeepers help batting; specialist bowlers help bowling; all-rounders contribute to both. The balance differs by role:

• BAT and WK: full contribution to batting strength.
• BOWL: full contribution to bowling strength.
• BAT_AR: strong batting contribution and a smaller bowling contribution.
• AR: substantial contributions to both batting and bowling.
• BOWL_AR: strong bowling contribution and a smaller batting contribution.

This is why role coverage matters. An XI filled with batters may have a healthy batting value but little help in its bowling value. A team with several all-rounders can cover both, while still needing enough specialist players for balance.

Rating stacking and the overall above 90

Several very high ratings can still make a good team, but the game reduces some of their combined advantage. For players rated 92 or above, the first two avoid a stacking deduction; each additional player in that range loses two effective rating points. For ratings of 95 or above, the first avoids the extra deduction and each additional one loses three more points. A later 95-plus player can receive both deductions because they also meet the 92-plus threshold.

These points are taken from the affected players before their average contributes to team strength. The lineup breakdown spreads the total deduction across the players in the XI, so its displayed effect is smaller than simply subtracting every lost point from the final team value.

The game also softens an overall above 90 by removing half of the amount over 90. For example, an adjusted value of 94 becomes 92 before rounding. This is a diminishing return, not a hard cap: a team can still have an overall above 90.

Chemistry, rivalries, and team identity

Some named pairs add one chemistry point when both players are in the starting XI. The total chemistry bonus is capped at five. The game also recognizes four rivalry pairs; each complete rivalry subtracts one point, up to a total deduction of three. A lineup can complete a bonus pair and a rivalry at the same time, so check both values before starting a match.

Role groups can earn team-identity points. Seven or more BAT/WK players activate Batting-Heavy, five or more BOWL players activate Bowling-Heavy, and four or more all-rounders activate All-Rounder Army. Each identity is worth one point. Keeping players from a former franchise together can also help: three from one team add one point, while five or more add two. Team-identity bonuses together are capped at five.

These bonuses can help refine a well-rounded XI, but they should not replace role coverage. See the complete pair list to check which combinations the game recognizes.

Overseas players

A standard XI can include up to four overseas players. The strength deduction begins before that limit: two overseas players subtract one point, three subtract two, and four subtract three. One or zero has no overseas deduction. Multiplayer rooms can use the host's setting of four or five, so check the lobby when you play online.

This is a team-balance rule, not a judgment about a player's quality. An overseas player can still be the right pick if they fill an important role or complete a useful pair. Compare the overall breakdown after making a change. The overseas-player guide explains the limits and trade-offs in more detail.

What form means in the game

Form comes from recent performances during your game run; it is not a player's current real-life form. The game looks at up to five recent performances, giving more weight to the newest results. It groups the resulting score into a form category and uses the team's form to adjust its chance of winning. That squad adjustment is limited to six percentage points in either direction.

Form is separate from the career totals that may appear on a player profile. A high historical run total does not automatically raise the game's form, and a poor simulated match does not erase a player's real cricket record.

Strength is not a match prediction

Team strength helps shape the chance of winning, but matches include uncertainty. A higher-rated or better-balanced team can still lose an individual game. Review the lineup breakdown to understand your choices, then treat the result as one outcome rather than proof that the whole team is good or bad.

Rain events are also simplified. A match may be abandoned in the league or shortened and labeled DLS. That label does not mean the game uses the full official Duckworth–Lewis–Stern method. For more on season structure and match results, see the rain and reduced-overs guide.